Social media handy in snow emergency

Thousands of people around the state have complained about being trapped in their homes waiting for the plows.

Most roads are at least passable now.

One Milford resident used the down time to use social media to report the conditions of roads -- and in the process discovered a possible new career.

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Angela Richardson started off Saturday by creating a Facebook page to update her friends on what businesses and roads were open. Her efforts quickly grew into more. By Sunday, she was compiling and sharing information about what roads were being plowed, and was so accurate that some people on Facebook mistook her for a Public Works Department employee.

Richardson lives on Wepawaug Drive near Matthewson Elementary School, and her street wasn't plowed until late Monday evening. She kept updating until Wednesday.

Richardson ended up with a little bit of a full-time job. She said she was updating the page constantly, working from early in the morning until 1 a.m. Activity on the page tapered off by Tuesday, but the experience showed Richardson she might have a knack for social media.

She wants to start a blog to share community information, and hopes that she might find a new job in social media. "It made me realize this is the kind of thing I'd like to do for a career," she said.

A group of residents in Woodbridge were stranded because of a question over who would clear Cedar Rock Road, a private way that is not regularly plowed by the town. Maryann Mauro, who runs the neighbors association, said because the unprecedented snowfall, the town should do it. First Selectman Ed Sheehy said he would give the neighbors the name of a private contractor who could clear the road. He did say the town would plow "if that's necessary."

Mauro argued the town should plow since everyone on the street pays property taxes.

Mauro said the town plowed the road, which is just off Amity Road near Bradley Road, during the 1978 blizzard. Since this storm was worse, she said, the town should plow again. She said it's an emergency because one neighbor is elderly and has cancer.

Many West Haven residents called for better communication from the city, especially plowing updates.

On Facebook, many suggested the city could have used social media to send more alerts. One said the city could have an area of its website dedicated to storm news.

Catherine Foley Panza noted other area towns had been constantly updating Facebook and Twitter accounts about plowing.

"It would have been nice to have something like that. ... It is bothersome to people to hear that two streets over was done on Saturday but not one plow (heard) of in another area. ... I am sure that it is a job to get the snow off the streets, but communication is the key and using social media would help out," Panza wrote.

Others noted the city sent alert through email and phone calls about parking bans, recycling and trash pickup, school closures and general plowing information.

"We're getting 2-3 calls a day. ... How many times do people want to get a phone call every day?" Michelle Douglas wrote.